Born to a minor branch of the Isawa family, Shinzui was a quiet
and studious child. She had a fascination with tales of spirits and ghosts,
and often wandered in the haunted woods of the Phoenix lands. Like many
of her kin, she was blessed with the friendship of the kami, and was trained
as an Isawa Shugenja.

She was sent to the far south to compete in the Topaz Championship,
and to maintain the ties of friendship between the Isawa and the Crane
family of the Daidoji, and lodged in the home of Daidoji Dajan. While visiting
Ryoko Owari, she becames friends with Bayushi Isakamiko, better known in
the city as "Bayushi Isawa". Isakamiko was a noblewoman married to a local
lord, who missed the forests and gentle hills of her home.

When Isakamiko fell to the Taint, Shinzui took care of her friend's
duties and posessions. She stayed for some time with Isakamiko's widower,
Bayushi Suko, before helping the Crane destroy the Bloodspeakers who had
secretly constructed a fortress. During the war with the Bloodspeakers,
she met the young daimyo of the Yogo family, Yogo Junzo.

In exchange for teaching in a new Crane school for shugenja, the Crane
daimyo gave the Phoenix clan permission to build a tower to investigate
the Shadowlands. The Elemental Council had grown concerned at certain omens
and portents, and intended to discover the truth. The shugenja of the tower
discovered mysterious "negative chi flows" emanating from the Shadowlands.
However, while Shinzui was attempting to negociate a truce with a Crab
noble who claimed the land on which the tower stood, the tower was attacked
by Kuni Yori.

The Crab destroyed the tower, but Shinzui and the research were rescued
- by Yogo Junzo. At Shiro no Yogo, Junzo explained his plan to save the
Empire by killing the Hantei. Overwhelmed by horror, Shinzui stole the
Black Scroll she had helped Junzo retrieve from the Bloodspeakers, and
walked between the stars to her homeland - carrying with her a twelfth
part of the Soul of Fu Leng...

Appearance: A small, pale woman, dressed in fine silk robes.
She is rarely without her jade belt and scrollcases. She speaks softly,
like snow falling on a quiet wood.

GM's Commentary: Shinzui proved something of a problem for
the campaign. All the other characters had at least some connection to
the city, she didn't. Motivating Shinzui proved tricky on occasion, and
she actively avoided politics at times... She is easily the most classically honourable
of the characters. She's never put a foot wrong, despite temptation. Her
honour is a far better protection than her jade belt against the Taint
and the disapproval of the ancestors.

Using Shinzui in your game: She's spent a lot of time as a
tutor, so she could work as a character's sensei, especially if they've
got the Different or Multiple Schools advantage. Phoenix
tutors are highly sought after. Shinzui's high level of knowledge of the Shadowlands
and other evils means she could be the first to discover plots or dangers.
She could uncover the tomb of a sleeping Oni left over from Fu Leng's war
on the Empire, or a bloodspeaker fortress. She could then be used as a
patron to bring your game's characters in.